FR2568208A1 - PROPULSION DEVICE IN THE STATIONS OF THE CABINS OR THE SEATS OF A CABLE CAR OR TELESCOPE - Google Patents

Abstract

A preferred embodiment for a detechable gondola lift is disclosed in which carraiges on a closed circuit are detached from the circuit upon entering an end station and coupled to a semi-circular section before being recoupled onto the circuit upon exiting the end station. The semi-circular section has a drive wheel with a first drive mechanism on its periphery for driving the carriages over the semi-circular section. The first drive mechanism is located at regular intervals and driven at a predetermined first speed to impose a regular flow rate to the carriages leaving the semi-circular section and a regular distribution of carriages on the circuit. The semi-circular section also includes a second drive mechanism for imparting a slightly different speed to the carriages from that imposed by the drive wheel. One of the drive means has priority to impose a predetermined flow rate to the carriages leaving the semi-circular section. In another embodiment, the semi-circular section is divided into two straight rails and a circular rail on the drive wheel. In addition, the invention contemplates using two coaxial wheels: a drive wheel with pins and a support wheel. The pins may be fixed or retractable.

Description

PROPULSION DEVICE IN CABIN STATIONS OR

  SEATS OF A CABLE CAR OR TELESCOPE.

  The invention relates to a continuous cable overhead cable transport installation in closed circuit, having

  an uplink and a downlink connecting two stations

  end positions, loads, in particular cabins, seats or the like, being supported by carriages with disengageable clamps, capable of being coupled to the cable in line and of being uncoupled at the entrance to a station, the carriages to support the cabs circulating in the station on a semi-loop circuit connecting the down and up channels before being re-coupled to the cable at the output

from the station.

  French patent application N 83 00 749 of January 17, 1983

  publicize an installation of the kind mentioned, which uses

  reads a drive chain, extending in a closed loop

  along the circulation circuit of cabins or seats

  crossed out of the cable in the stations. The circulation on the curved sections of the circuit is irregular and the device

  station training is expensive, noisy and complicated.

  The present invention aims to simplify the device for cabin station circulation, while facilitating the

  passing curves and retaining the advantages of the system

anterior teme.

  The installation according to the invention is characterized in that the circulation circuit of the cabins in the station comprises a circular section, in particular in a semicircle, provided with a positive drive device for the carriages comprising

  a pulley with a vertical axis, coinciding with the axis of said half

  circle, the pulley being driven in rotation and carrying on its periphery means for driving the carriages on

said semi-circular section.

  In the curved part of the circuit, the drive is performed by a pulley with a vertical axis, driven in rotation by a

  motor or by a PTO on the cable or the mechanism

  motorism of the latter. The diameter of this pulley cor-

  preferably corresponds to the line spacing, to

  put a connection by rectilinear rails forming the embarkation and disembarkation platforms. The propulsion on the straight sections is carried out in a conventional manner,

  by gravity, chain, frying wheels and the like.

  The drive by a pulley on the curved section of reinforcement

  voi is particularly suitable for the realization of a

  timing device, of the type described in the patent application

  vet supra, which automatically maintains the spacing

  regular cabins during the entire operating period-

  installation. According to a first embodiment, the device for driving the straight section, for example the friction wheels, is extended over a part.

  of the curved section, to constitute a second system of

  dragging, for example at a speed slightly lower or higher than

  that of the pulley. Depending on the position of the cabin at

  of this part of the curved section, it is propelled by one or other of the drive means to catch up

  a delay or on the contrary absorb an advance. How does it work?

  ment of such a timer is described in the patent application

  to which we will refer for further details.

  tails on such timers The curved section of timers may include a drive

  slow by gravity or momentary stopping of the cabin, the

  driving lees catching up with the cab more or less quickly

  according to the position of the latter.

  The second drive means associated with the caden-

  according to a development of the invention, the core can be a second pulley coaxial with the first and rotating at a slightly different speed. Propulsion by one of the pulleys has priority by making use, for example of

  one-way drive cleats on one of the pulleys.

  The installation can be of the monocable or bicable type, -The cabins or seats, disengaged from the cable in station, running on a rail, which can extend along the entire route,

  especially around the drive pulley or on parts

  parts of this course, especially on straight sections. In the latter case, the drive pulley is arranged to support the cabins on the curved section and the upper face of the pulley is shaped as a circular rail,

  in which engages the roller (s) of the support carriages

  port of the cabins, for example by a connection section

  sloping. Any other method of support or connection

ment is also usable.

  The rail can be carried by a support pulley, coaxial with the drive pulley and the two pulleys can be rotated at slightly different speeds

to achieve timing.

  The frequency of the cabin scrolling is determined by La

  speed of rotation of the timing pulley and by the spreader

  ment of the drive means, in this case cleats distributed around the circumference of the pulley. The possibilities for varying the speed of cabin traffic are limited and to multiply the installation flow, by

  example from simple to double, just multiply The name-

  bre of active cleats. Some cleats, one in two or any other proportion, are of the erasable type. The movement of the cleats from the active position to the erased or inactive position can be controlled by any operating means, in particular by a movable cam capable of actuating a heel of the cleat to raise it in the erased position. Only cleats with a heel, in this case a cleat on

  two, are thus moved to the inactive position when the

  threading in front of the cam placed in the control position. Of

  analogous or equivalent systems can be used.

  Other advantages and features will emerge more

  clearly from the following description of different

  Modes of implementing the invention, given by way of nonlimiting examples and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: - Figure 1 is a schematic elevation view of a station according to the invention; FIG. 2 is a plan view of the station according to FIG. 1; - Figures 3 and 4 are sections, respectively along lines III-III and IV-IV of FIG. 2; - Figure 5 is a view similar to ceLle of FIG. 2, illustrating an alternative embodiment; - Figure 6 is an enlarged scale section along line VI-VI of fig. 5; - Figures 7 and 8 are views similar to those of Figs. 5 and 6, showing another variant; - Figures 9 and 10 are views similar to ceLte of FIG. 2, illustrating, in two successive instants, another embodiment; - Figures 11 and 12 are sections along Lines XIXI of FIG. 9 and XII-XII of fig. 10;

  - Figures 13 and 14, similar to Figures 5 and 6, my-

another variant;

  - And Figure 15 is a detail view of a cleat

  dragging. In the figures, the same reference numbers are used

  to designate identical or analogous elements.

  In the figures, an overhead cable 10 of a monocable chairlift which could be a gondola or a similar monocable or bi-cable transporter, passes through an end station 12 on a return pulley 14 driven in rotation by a motor 16. The seats 18 are fixed by a hanger 20 to a carriage 22 carrying a clamp 24 for coupling to the cable

  10. A spring 26 urges the clamp 24 into the position of

  cable rage, the opening being controlled by a lever 28 cooperating with a fixed ramp 30. The carriage 22 carries rollers 32 and positioning rollers 34 and a drive plate 36 capable of cooperating with drive wheels 38 with tires. Such a clamp is for example described in French patent application 81 00432,

  to which we will advantageously refer.

  At the entrance to the station 12 is arranged parallel to the cable 10 a transfer rail 40 on which the

  rollers 32. Simultaneously, the lever 28 for controlling the opening

  clamp pliers 24 approaches ramp 30 to open pliers

  24 and uncouple the carriage 22 from the cable 10. A weak slack

  relative bearing of the carriage 22 with respect to the cable 10 releases

  the latter of the clamp 24. A set of wheels 38 with pneumatic

  ticks, carried by a beam 42 parallel to the rail 40, co-

  operate with the plate 36 of the carriage 22 to drive the latter. The wheels 38 are driven in rotation by any suitable means (not shown), the first wheels of the train rotating at the speed of the cable 10 to synchronize the movement of the carriage 22 while your following wheels 38 decelerate the carriage 22 uncoupled from the cable 10 and rolling on the rail 40. The rail 40 extends in a half-loop in the station to join the other strand of the cable 10 constituting

  the other way of the chairlift passing in front of an em-

  boat 44 if station 12 is an on-board station

  is lying. It is clear that this station can be a station

  or have both a landing quay

  and a boarding platform for passengers, especially skiers.

6 2568208

  The half-loop circuit, formed by rail 40, comprises

  a semicircular end section 46, to which is connected

  tooth two straight sections 48, 50 each aligned with one of the tracks, rising and falling, of the line. Associated with the semicircular section 46 is a pulley 52 with an axis

  vertical 54 for driving the carriages 22 on this section.

  The diameter of the pulley 52 is slightly smaller than that

  of the semi-circular trajectory and the catches 56 for driving

  radially protrude from the pulley 52 for cooperation

  rer with the carriage 22 circulating on the section 46. The

  lie 52 is driven in rotation by a motor 57 or by any other means suitable for the speed of circulation in

  seat or cabin station, hereafter called cabins.

  On the straight sections 48, 50 the carriages 22 are

  powered by the wheels 38 staggered the tong of these sections

  ons. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the carriages 22 are propelled positively over the entire station route, by the wheels 38 on the section 48, by the pulley 52 on the curved section 46 and by the wheels 38 on the outlet section 50. The last wheels 38 of the circuit constitute an acceleration device. carriages 22 to synchronize the speeds of carriages 22 and cable 10 before re-coupling by closing the clamp

  24 on the cable 10. The drive by the pulley 52 is par-

  particularly flexible and silent and it allows

  notable development of the station circulation system. It is

  clear that these advantages are preserved by equipping the sections

  straight lessons 48, 50 of other propulsion systems,

  gravity, forced or mixed drive.

  The passage of the carriages 22 on the section 46 in a semicircle

  can be improved by interrupting, as shown

  tee in fig. 5 and 6, the rail 40 along this section 46 and providing on the upper face of the pulley 52 a peripheral circular rail 58 which is connected to the ends of the

  rail 40. In the case of a rail 58 with a U-profile, the connection

  ment is achieved by a needle (not shown) sloping which introduces or extracts the rollers 32 of the rail 58. Other connection means adapted to the profile of the rails 40, 58 can be used. It is clear that the rolling of the rollers 32 on the curved rail 58 is zero or very weak, which facilitates the movement of the carriages 22 on the curved section 46. In FIGS. 5 and 6, friction wheels 60, similar to the wheels 38 of the straight sections 48, 50, are arranged on a sector of the pulley 52, in this case, but not necessarily, at the entry of the latter. The linear speed of the wheels 60 is slightly lower than that of the pulley 52 and the assembly is arranged in such a way that a cabin shifted in advance is driven by the wheels 60 on the input sector of the pulley 52 and caught up in end of sector by cleat 56, while a late cabin is taken care of directly at the entrance by cleat 56,

  imposing a higher speed to catch up.

  A free wheel of the friction drive allows the

  placement at high speed. The rollers 32 of the carriage 22 roll

  slow on rail 58 during slow training. The main-

  cipe of operation of such timers is described in the aforementioned patent application of which certain peculiarities

  are applicable to this system.

  Figures 7 and 8 illustrate another embodiment of the invention, making use of two coaxial pulleys, the

  drive pulley 52 with cleats 56 and a support pulley

  port 62, carrying on its periphery the rail 58, receiving the rollers 32 of the carriage 22. In a non-timing system the

  pulleys 52, 62 rotate in synchronism, a timing for

  vant be achieved by rotating the support pulley 62 at a lower speed to impose the slow speed of circulation. When the carriage 22 is taken up by the pins 56, the rollers 32 roll on the rail 58 of your pulley 62. The propulsion on the straight sections 48, 50 can be carried out by any appropriate means, in particular by gravity,

  Figures 9 and 10 showing by way of example an installation

  tion having a gravity drive on the stretch of

  trée 48 and a friction wheel drive 38 on Le

  outlet section 50. Part of the section 48 may comprise

  ter friction wheels or other propulsion devices,

  while the section 50 may be partially circulating

  gravity. The specialist can easily design other operating combinations. In FIGS. 9 and 10, the timing sector of the pulley 52 is arranged on the side of

  The exit of the section 46 in a semicircle. A trolley 22 back

  ahead or behind on this timing section, in relation to the predetermined frequency is automatically repositioned by the differential speed between the pulley

52 and 60 friction wheels.

  The drive pulley 52 has fixed lugs 56, in this case three, shown in thick lines and an equal or different number of erasable lugs 64, shown in detail in FIGS. 11 and 12. The fixed 56 and erasable 64 cleats are

  alternating, the proportion of fixed and erasable cleats for

  before being different. Each erasable cleat 64 is pivotally mounted on an axis 66 and carries a heel 68, capable of cooperating with a cam 70, extending along the timing section or on a part of the latter. The cam 70 is itself movable or retractable in a position of non-engagement of the heels 68. When the cam 70 is retracted the erasable lugs 64 remain in the active position and behave like fixed lugs, the timing pulley 52 then being six cleats. In the active position of the cam 70 the erasable tabs 64 are raised so as not to cooperate with the carriages 22 (fig. 11) and the timing pulley 52

  has three active cleats ensuring a challenge rate

  carts reduced by half. It is clear that the rate change system and any particular system described with reference to one of the figures is applicable or can be combined with other systems according to the invention,

  notably illustrated by other figures. The ef- command

  face of the cleats 64 may be different and relate to a

  cleat on three or another proportion.

  The operation of the erasable latch timer 64 res-

  comes out of FIGS. 9 and 10. At the instant shown in FIG. 9, a first carriage 22 propelled by a fixed cleat 56 arrives at the exit of the section 46 in a semicircle, while another carriage 22 in advance enters on this section 46 and will be caught by one of the erasable tabs 64 in the active drive position. A third carriage 22, interposed

  between the two others has just entered the caden-

  heart, the corresponding erasable cleat 64 having just been raised to the inactive position by the cam 70. This third carriage 22 is propelled at slow speed by the friction wheels 60. A moment later, illustrated by FIG. 10, the first carriage 22 is engaged on the rectilinear section, while the third carriage 22 will be overtaken by the fixed cleat 56 and that the last carriage, propelled by an erasable cleat 64, approaches the timing section where its cleat 64 will be pivoted in erasing position by the cam 70. It is obviously possible to permanently erase or remove the erasable tabs 64, the only drawback being a temporary stop at the entrance to the curved section of carriages too far in advance. Any downtime is avoided by planning

lots of erasable cleats 64.

  FIGS. 13 to 15 show another improvement in which the semi-circular section 46 is equipped with two coaxial drive pulleys, a pulley 52 fitted with drive cleats 64, some of which may be erasable as described above. above by the action of a cam 70 shown in broken lines in FIG. 14 and

  a second pulley 72, carrying tabs 74 for driving

  unidirectional. The cleats 74 are articulated on a vertical axis 76 and cooperate with a stop 78 to ensure

  positive drive in the direction of rotation trigonometrically

  and an erasure of the tabs 74 in the opposite direction. The second pulley 72 provides the slow speed drive not

  priority, while the pulley 52, which rotates at a speed

  larger size, determines the frame rate of

2568208

  carriages 22, the cleats 74 not opposing the passage of a

  carriage 22 powered by a cleat 64 at higher speed.

  The timing is carried out over the entire length of the curved section 46 and by providing a large number of cleats 74 the cabs are almost never at a standstill. It is unnecessary to describe in detail the operation of this system

  which emerges from the preceding presentation.

  The invention is of course in no way limited to the modes of implementation more particularly described! and it extends to timing systems operating by braking or

acceleration of cabins.

1 1

Claims (10)

  1. Overhead cable transport installation (10) with.   continuously closed circuit9 having an upward path and a downward path connecting two load end stations, in particular cabins (18), seats or the like   being supported by carriages (22) with clamp (24) disengaged   bLe, likely to be coupled to the Line cable and to be uncoupled at the entrance to a station, The carriages (22) for supporting the cabs circulating in the station - on a semi-loop circuit (46, 48, 50) connecting the downward and upward tracks before being re-coupled to the cable at the station exit, characterized in that the circulation circuit of the cabins in the station comprises a one-section   circular (46), in particular in a semicircle, provided with a provision   positive drive (52) of the carriages (22) includes   nant a pulley (52) with a vertical axis coinciding with the axis of said semicircle, the pulley being driven in rotation and   bearing on its periphery means (56, 64) for driving   carriages on said section (46) in a semicircle.   2. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the semicircular section (46) is extended at its   two ends by sections (48, 50), aligned respec-   With regard to the upward and downward tracks, to which it is connected, the carriages (22) uncoupled from the cable (10)   being driven or circulating by gravity on said sections   ons aligned (48, 50) and being supported by said   drive pulley (52) on the half-length section (46) circle.   3. Installation according to claim 1 or'2, characterized   in that said pulley (52) includes means for driving   ment (56, 64) regularly distributed over the periphery and driven at a predetermined speed to impose a regular rate of exit from the cabins (18) of the section (46) in a semicircle and a regular distribution of the loads on the line. 4. Installation according to claim 3, characterized in that said section (46) in a semicircle, equipped with said pulley (52), comprises at least on part of the section a second means (60, 62, 72) of drive at a speed slightly different from that imposed by the pulley (52), one (52) of the drive means having priority to impose a predetermined rate of exit from the cabins   (18) of the section (46) in a semicircle.   5. Installation according to any one of the claims   previous, characterized in that the carriages (22) of   support cabins (18) have a track (36) of cash   tion capable of cooperating with wheels (38, 60) of   friction drag, arranged along the circuit   culation of cabins in station, one or more of said   wheels (60) being arranged on said section (46) in half   -circle to constitute the second co-drive means   operating with the drive pulley (52) to impose a   predetermined rate of cabin traffic.   6. Installation according to any one of the claims   previous, characterized in that said drive pulley (52) carries on its periphery means (58) for supporting the carriages (22), which are connected to the inlet and the outlet of the section (46) in half circle at the circuit of   cab traffic to the up and down lanes   dante, the cabins being supported and driven by the   pulley (52) on the semi-circular section (46).   7. Installation according to claim 6, characterized in   that the carriages (22) carry rollers (32) for rolling   ment on rails (40) forming said circulation circuit   tion, said pulley (52) carrying on its periphery a rail   circular (58), on which said rollers engage   during the course on the semi-circular section (46) for support the cabin.   8. Installation according to claim 6, characterized in   that the carriages (22) carry rollers (32)   lying on stationary rails (40), the rail (58) of the semicircular section (46) being disposed on the periphery of a   rotating support pulley (62) arranged coaxially to the said drive pulley (52).   9. Installation according to any one of the claims   previous, characterized in that The pulley- (52) drives   on its periphery there are fixed cleats (56) of   drag, whose regular spacing determines the rate of movement of cabs and erasable cleats (64) erasing on a padlocking part of the section (46) in a semicircle equipped with a second drive means (60).   10. Installation according to any one of the claims   previous, characterized in that the section (46) in half   circle is equipped with a carriage circulation rail (40) (22) supporting the cabins (18), a first (52) and a second (72) carriage drive pulleys (22) on said section (46), the drive speeds of the two pulleys (52, 72) being slightly different and the means   (64) for driving one (52) of the pulleys being priority   shut up on those (74) of the other pulley (72) to impose a regular rate of exit from the cabins of the section (46) in a semicircle, imposed by the pulley (52) equipped with the means priority training sessions.